New Delhi: The Indian Army has debunked a digitally manipulated video circulating on social media that falsely attributes statements to Lieutenant General Girish Kalia, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Spear Corps (3 Corps), claiming that China has taken control of several border areas in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Army’s official fact-checking handle, Indian Army Fact Check (@MythbusterXX), issued a clarification warning that the video uses artificial intelligence-generated lip-syncing and voice cloning to spread misleading information.
The manipulated clip purportedly shows Lt Gen Kalia admitting that China had taken control of Asaphila, Longjou and Taksing Circle in Arunachal Pradesh and that Indian Army personnel deployed in the region had been denied essential supplies.
Rejecting the claims, the Army said the video had been digitally altered using archival footage to falsely attribute fabricated remarks to the senior military officer.
“A digitally altered video is being circulated with fabricated remarks attributed to Lt Gen Girish Kalia, claiming that China has taken control of Asaphila, Longjou and Taksing Circle in Arunachal Pradesh and that the Indian Army has been denied essential supplies,” the Army’s fact-checking handle posted on X.
“The misleading video attempts to portray fabricated statements as a leaked admission by a senior Indian Army officer. The video uses #SyntheticGeneratedInformation to falsely attribute remarks to Lt Gen Girish Kalia,” it added.
Clarifying the origin of the footage, the Army said the original video was recorded on October 27, 2023, during a press briefing in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir.
At the time, Kalia, then a Major General serving as GOC of the 28 Infantry Division, was briefing the media on counter-terrorism operations and infiltration attempts along the Line of Control (LoC).
During the briefing, he highlighted the Army’s operational achievements, including the foiling of 10 infiltration attempts, the elimination of 27 terrorists and the recovery of substantial quantities of weapons, ammunition and narcotics.
The Army clarified that the original briefing contained no references to China, territorial control in Arunachal Pradesh or alleged restrictions on supplies to Indian troops.
According to the Army, the misleading video combined an old military briefing with digitally fabricated statements and false territorial claims to create a deceptive narrative.
The Army described the manipulation as an attempt to spread military disinformation and create unnecessary public alarm.
Urging citizens to remain vigilant against such content, the Army advised social media users to verify information through authentic sources before sharing unverified videos or claims.
It also emphasised the importance of identifying AI-generated and digitally altered material to prevent the spread of misinformation concerning national security and military operations.
[DD news]